Stay Angry

6.07.2010

9500 liberty opens this friday in the bay area

For all my friends in the Bay Area, don't miss the theatrical premiere of Eric Byler and Annabel Park's 9500 Liberty, a documentary on how Prince William County, Virginia became ground zero in America's explosive battle over immigration policy. Here's the synopsis:

Prince William County, Virginia becomes ground zero in America's explosive battle over immigration policy when elected officials adopt a law requiring police officers to question anyone they have "probable cause" to suspect is an undocumented immigrant.

9500 Liberty reveals the startling vulnerability of a local government, targeted by national anti-immigration networks using the Internet to frighten and intimidate lawmakers and citizens. Alarmed by a climate of fear and racial division, residents form a resistance using YouTube videos and virtual townhalls, setting up a real-life showdown in the seat of county government.

The devastating social and economic impact of the "Immigration Resolution" is felt in the lives of real people in homes and in local businesses. But the ferocious fight to adopt and then reverse this policy unfolds inside government chambers, on the streets, and on the Internet. 9500 Liberty provides a front row seat to all three battlegrounds.

It's a powerful film, telling a very real story about one community's culture war over immigration -- a struggle more relevant than ever with what's happening now in Arizona. Here's a scene from the film:

The film opens this Friday, June 11 at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood and Landmark Lumiere in San Francisco. Some details:

Think what's going down in Arizona is crazy and insane? Guess what? It already happened in Prince William County, and it tore apart an entire community. For more information about the film, go to the 9500 Liberty website here. Also read this piece by Eric in the Huffington Post: Arizona, Immigration, and the Coming Shake-Up.